Original Release: Taito, 1986, Arcade
Other Releases: NES (1988)
A simplistic soccer sim that focused more on cute animation than solid or complex gameplay
Kick And Run (Arcade, Taito, 1986)
Where to Buy: Arcade Museum , ebay
How to Emulate: Arcade Emulation Guide
Review by: C. M0use
This forgotten soccer title from Taito is a cutesy and simplified spin on the game, starring what looks like the generic goons from The Simpsons Arcade. It does include a small sampling of national teams, fairly impressive for a mid-80s sports title … they just all pretty much look the same with different color shirts, though they do have some cute animations.
Anyway, Kick and Run is simultaneously easy and hard. Easy to keep possession and score on the not-too-bright goalies on offense, but there’s a brutal sudden jump in difficulty when you’re asked to manually goaltend as the short field quickly scrolls back to your end.
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Kick And Run (Famicom, Taito, 1988)
Where to Buy: ebay
How to Emulate: coming soon!
Review by: C. M0use
The Famicom port retains a good deal of the graphical charm of the arcade release, but doesn’t really add anything – no league mode, nothing but one-off games, it’s pretty much a straight arcade port. The one big addition seems to be a co-op mode for two players to play on the same side together against the computer.
Same story in terms of gameplay, all the characters are identical and the best strategy is to just Tecmo Super Bowl your way to the goal with whoever happens to get the ball. The goal mouth is smaller in this one, but the goalie seems even easier to bait out of it and shoot around. No auto-goaltending option on your side in this one either.
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